Salient
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Title
Salient
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Definition
Markedly raised above the surface of an organ; e.g., the midrib on the abaxial side of the leaf blade in most species of neotropical Lecythidaceae.
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Notes
The differences among salient, prominent, prominulous, plane, and submerged are based on the degree of elevation, e.g., between the top of a vein and the surface of the organ of which it is a part. These features grade into one another but generally speaking a salient vein is one that projects 0.5 to several millimeters above the surface, a prominent vein is one that is distinct and raises between 0.1 and 0.4 mm above the surface, and a prominulous vein is one that is raised so little that it is only perceived when a finger nail is run along the blade at a right angle across it. If nothing blocks the fingernail, the vein is plane and if a depression is perceived it is impressed. If a vein is not seen, it is said to be submerged in the tissue. In neotropical Lecthidaceae, this terminology is mostly applied to the the veins of leaves and seeds.
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Related Terms
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