THE VESSELS. 333 



b. Articularis interua IL, passes transversely to the condylus internus, 

 ramifies there and gives branches to the border of the patella. 



c. Articularis externa arises opposite 6, and passes transversely outwards 

 to condyl. externus, and gives an : 



Art. superior media for the posterior surface of the knee-joint. 

 3. Articulares genu inferiores, inferior articular arteries. 



d. Articularis externa, passes outwards and forwards above the fibula, 

 covered by gastrocn, extern., plantar, long., biceps, and lig. genu extern. 



e. Articularis interna, also passes inwards to the condyl. tibia. From it, 

 if not from the art. poplit. itself, arises : 



Art. inferior media, which penetrates from behind through the 

 middle of the capsular ligament into the knee-joint. 



f. Articularis infima externa, passes transversely over the fibula out- 

 wards, covered by m. peronceus long, and extens. digit, commun., rami- 

 fying in these as far as the fibula and knee-joint. 



Eete articulare genu, is found on the anterior and lateral surfaces of the 

 knee-joint, and behind lig. patella. It is formed by artt. articulares genu, 

 connected above with the perforantes profundcefemor., below with the recur- 

 rentes tibiae. 



584. III. Tibialis antica, the anterior tibial artery, 



the anterior branch of art. poplitcea (two or three inches below the 

 knee-joint), passes, from the point of division of the last at the in- 

 ierior border of m. poplitceus, immediately forwards above the su- 

 perior border of lig. interosseum (between the superior extremity 

 of tibia and fibula). It then extends directly downwards before 

 lig. inteross. as far as the inferior fourth of the tibia, thence in- 

 clines inwards and downwards to the dorsum of the foot, from 

 which point it is called art. pedicea. Position : very deep, before 

 lig. interosseum, and farther down before the external surface of 

 the tibia, behind and between m. tibialis anticus and extensores 

 digit, (commun. and hattuc. long.) ; on the inner side of the n. 

 tibial. anticus. At the tarsal joint : upon this, covered by lig. 

 crucial, and the tendons of extens. halluc. longus. Branches : 



1. Recurrens tibialis posterior, passes off close at the commencement of 

 tibialis, upon the posterior surface of the tibia upwards to the joint ; covered 

 by m. poplitcBus. 



2. Recurrens tibialis anterior. Or. : close above lig. inteross. Course : in- 

 wards and upwards between m. tibial. anticus and condylus extern, tibia, close 

 to the bone. Branches to m. tibial. antic., extens. digit, comm., capitul. fibul.; 

 anastomoses with articul. genu extern. 



3. Art. malleolaris externa, arises higher or deeper, above lig. tarsi dorsale. 

 Course : curves outwards and forwards around the external malleolus to the 

 outer surface of os cuboideum, and anastomoses with art. tarsea externa and 

 peroncea. 



