Basal

a.

1.

Relating to, or forming, the base. Basal cleavage See under Cleavage. Basal plane (Crystallog.) a plane parallel to the lateral or horizontal axis.

Adj.	1.	basal - especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem; "basal placentation"; "radical leaves" Synonyms: radical
	2.	basal - serving as or forming a base; "the painter applied a base coat followed by two finishing coats" Synonyms: base
	3.	basal - of primary importance; "basic truths" Synonyms: basic, primary

ab ovo, aboriginal, basic, basilar, beginning, bottom, bottommost, central, constituent, constitutive, crucial, elemental, elementary, embryonic, essential, foundational, fundamental, generative, genetic, germinal, gut, in embryo, in ovo, lowermost, lowest, material, nethermost, of the essence, original, pregnant, primal, primary, primeval, primitive, primordial, pristine, protogenic, radical, rudimental, rudimentary, seminal, substantial, substantive, underlying, undermost