GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND RELATIONS.--Thick; on lateral surface of femur deep to M. extensor iliotibialis lateralis; anterior to M. extensor iliofibularis and lateral to M. vastus medialis; much of lateral surface, except proximal part, fused with overlying M. extensor iliotibialis lateralis; deep surface of anterior half fused with M. vastus medialis; proximal part overlapping, but usually not fusing with, insertions of Mm. iliacus and caudofemoralis; partially separable into two parts--pars lateralis and pars postica, former constituting main part of muscle; latter considerably smaller and situated deep to posterodistal part of pars lateralis, except for posterodistal part extending posterior to edge of pars lateralis; proximal part of pars postica strongly fused with pars lateralis; posterodistal tendinous edge of pars lateralis fused or not fused with lateral surface of pars postica; proximal end (narrow) of pars postica tendinous and variable in length. ORIGIN.--_Pars lateralis_: This arises fleshily from most of the lateral surface and (distally) from the anterior surface of the femur, extending anteriorly to the anterior intermuscular line, fusing with M. vastus medialis, and extending posteriorly to the posterolateral intermuscular line (proximally) and the origin of pars postica (distally); the proximal end begins at the level of the distal edge of the insertion of M. iliotrochantericus medius, contacting the insertions of Mm. iliotrochantericus medius, piriformis, and flexor ischiofemoralis, and terminates distally at the level of the proximal ends of the femoral condyles. _Pars postica_: This arises fleshily and tendinously (proximal end and deep surface) from the posterolateral surface of approximately the distal half of the femur, extends posteromedially to the posterolateral intermuscular line where it contacts the origin of M. femorocruralis, and extends anteriorly to the level of a line drawn diagonally across the femur from the proximal end of the origin (at the posterolateral intermuscular line) to the proximal end of the external condyle; the distal end is anterior (adjacent) to the attachment of the proximal arm of the tendinous guide loop for M. extensor iliofibularis; the origin is adjacent to, but distinct from, the origin of pars lateralis.