Effulgent Plumed Goldenrod

Latin effulgēns, shining-out — present-participle of effulgere, sharing root with fulgor (lightning). As a color modifier, effulgent implies a saturated-and-radiating-light-out quality, the bright color of Renaissance-Madonna halo-and-aureole gold-leaf-and-pigment emission. Sits at the bright-and-saturated end of the grid, parallel to resplendent and radiant in usage.

Latin plūma, feather. As a color modifier, plumed implies a feathered-and-decorative-feather quality, the visual register of Edwardian-and-Belle-Époque-plumed-hat hand-set-and-decorative ostrich-and-egret-feather Edwardian-and-Belle-Époque plumed-and-feathered-hat surfaces under Edwardian-and-Belle-Époque plumed-hat-and-feather millinery-light. Sits at the modifier-and-texture end of the grid, parallel to fluff and down in usage.

Solidago, the late-summer wildflower of North American meadows whose tall sprays of small yellow flowers signal the end of the growing season. The color refers to the flower head at full bloom: a warm, slightly muted yellow-orange with the matte finish of small clustered florets. Cooler than mustard, deeper than dandelion. The state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska, a pollinator magnet, and the original native dye for early American homespun.