Tongue and palate. Artwork of the tongue and palate (roof of mouth). The tongue is one of the taste organs. Its surface is covered in small projections called papillae. The largest of these, the vallate papillae, are the first row of bumps at the rear of the tongue. They are easily seen by the naked eye and contain taste buds. Behind the vallate papillae is the lingual tonsil. The palatine tonsils (dark red) are also seen on either side at the back of the mouth. Tonsils are masses of lymphoid tissue and are part of the immune system. The palate, which is divided into the hard (front) and soft (back) palate contains minor salivary glands (purple).