[TA] origin, third part of maxillary; distribution, passes through palatine canal terminating by dividing into greater and lesser palatine arteries, supplies soft palate, gums, and bones and mucous membrane of hard palate, anterior oropharynx; anastomoses, sphenopalatine, ascending palatine, ascending pharyngeal, and tonsillar branches of facial. SYN: arteria palatina descendens [TA].