Descending palatine artery

The palatine artery descending ( " descending artery palate ") is an artery of the head. It originates in the pterygopalatine fossa from the third portion of the maxillary artery. It is divided into the palatine artery major ( " great palate artery ") and the palatine arteries minores ( "little palate arteries "). The former runs through the greater palatine foramen to the hard palate, palatine latter through the foramen minus the soft palate and the tonsils, where they anastomose with the branches of the ascending palatine artery.