Manic Stalk Goldenrod

Greek manikós, raving / mad — sharing root with mania. As a color modifier, manic implies a saturated-and-overstimulated-and-extreme quality, the bright color of Andy-Warhol-and-Pop-Art late-Pop-Art repeated-and-multiplied portrait color schemes. Sits at the bright-and-active end of the grid, parallel to hyper and frenetic in usage.

Old English stealcung, to-walk-stealthily. As a color modifier, stalk implies a deliberate-and-stealthy-and-tracked quality, the visual register of Highland-stalker-and-stag-stalk hand-deliberate-and-stealthy-and-tracked Highland-stalker-and-stag-and-tracker stalked-and-deliberate-and-stealthy-and-tracked surfaces under Highland-stalker-and-stag-and-tracker heather-moor-and-corrie-and-deer-forest tracked-and-stealthy-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to prowl and creep 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.