What are vallate papillae?

Vallate papillae are small, round elevations on the surface of the tongue that contain taste buds. They are located in a row on either side of the midline of the tongue, just in front of the sulcus terminalis. Vallate papillae are larger than fungiform papillae, but not as large as circumvallate papillae. Each vallate papilla has a central depression, or taste pit, that contains taste buds. The taste buds in vallate papillae are responsible for detecting sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes.