Posterior to it, near its origin, is the superior laryngeal nerve; and higher up, it is separated from the internal carotid by the Styloglossus and Stylopharyngeus, the glossopharyngeal nerve, the pharyngeal branch of the vagus, and part of the parotid gland.
12.
Passing laterally and downward behind the palatine tonsil, the palatopharyngeus joins the stylopharyngeus and is inserted with that muscle into the posterior border of the thyroid cartilage, some of its fibers being lost on the side of the pharynx and others passing across the middle line posteriorly to decussate with the muscle of the opposite side.
13.
The fascia itself is made of two layers : A superficial layer ( lat . " Lamina superficalis " ) that passes cranial into the temporal fascia and lateral into the masseteric fascia, and a deeper layer ( lat . " Lamina profunda " ) that covers the Stylohyoid muscle, the styloglossus and the Musculus stylopharyngeus.
14.
This vessel lies here in front of, and superficial to, the external carotid, being crossed by the facial nerve, and gives off in its course the posterior auricular, superficial temporal, and internal maxillary branches : more deeply are the internal carotid, the internal jugular vein, and the vagus nerve, separated from the external carotid by the Styloglossus and Stylopharyngeus, and the hypoglossal nerve
15.
From the plexus, branches are distributed to the muscles and mucous membrane of the pharynx ( except the stylopharyngeus, which is innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve ( CN IX ) ) and the muscles of the soft palate, except the Tensor veli palatini, which is supplied by the nerve to tensor veli palatini, a branch of the nerve to medial pterygoid ( which itself is a branch of the mandibular nerve-CNV / 3 ).
