GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND RELATIONS.--Divided into three distinct, widely separated parts--pars externa, pars interna, and pars media; _pars externa_: large; on posterolateral surface of shank; narrow proximally and distally; bounded anterolaterally by M. flexor perforans et perforatus digiti II and anteromedially by medial head of M. flexor perforatus digiti III; completely separate from pars interna and media except for common tendon of insertion; _pars interna_: large; on anteromedial surface of shank; narrow distally; bounded anterolaterally by M. peroneus longus and posteromedially by pars media (proximally) and medial head of M. flexor perforatus digiti III; broad sheet of tough connective tissue extending between distal parts of pars externa and pars interna; covering underlying M. flexor perforatus digiti III (medial head), somewhat fused with anteroproximal edge of M. peroneus longus; _pars media_: small and short; on medial surface of proximal part of shank; deep to tendon of insertion of M. flexor cruris medialis; bounded anteromedially by pars interna, posterolaterally by medial head of M. flexor perforatus digiti III, and proximally by M. femorocruralis; fused to latter, and boundary between the two difficult to locate. ORIGIN.--_Pars externa_: The short cylindrical tendon fuses with the anterior half of the distal arm of the tendinous guide loop for M. extensor iliofibularis and attaches in common with the latter to the posterolateral surface of the femur immediately proximal to the fibular condyle; the attachment is proximal (adjacent) to the origin of M. flexor perforans et perforatus digiti II and distal (adjacent) to the origin of M. flexor perforatus digiti IV and is fused to the articular capsule. _Pars interna_: The proximal end is partly separable into two layers--a superficial longer one and a deep shorter one. The superficial layer attaches fleshily to the ventral part of the anterior surface of the patella and to the medial half of the superficial surface of the patellar tendon; this layer slightly overlaps the distal fleshy end of M. extensor iliotibialis anticus. The deep layer (overlapped by the superficial layer) attaches to the medial surface of the inner cnemial crest, to the rotular crest medial to the latter, to the medial surface of the proximal part of the tibiotarsus, and (posteroproximal corner) to the distomedial edge of the patellar tendon and to the articular capsule posteromedial to the rotular crest; the entire ventral edge is tendinous, the remainder fleshy.