The
tongue is a
muscular hydrostat on the floor of the mouth of most
vertebrates that manipulates food for
mastication. It is the primary
organ of
taste (gustation), as much of its upper surface is covered in
taste buds. The tongue's upper surface is also covered in numerous
lingual papillae. It is sensitive and kept moist by
saliva, and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. In humans a secondary function of the tongue is
phonetic articulation. The tongue also serves as a natural means of
cleaning the teeth. The ability to perceive different tastes is not localised in different parts of the tongue, as is widely believed. This error arose because of misinterpretation of some 19th-century research (see
tongue map).