Each olivary body is located on the anterior surface of the medulla lateral to the pyramid, from which it is separated by the antero-lateral sulcus and the fibers of the hypoglossal nerve.

In humans, it measures about 1.25 cm in length, and between its upper end and the pons there is a slight depression to which the roots of the facial nerve are attached.

The external arcuate fibers wind across the lower part of the pyramid and olive and enter the inferior peduncle.

The olive consists of two parts: The inferior olive in itself is divided to 3 main nuclei: Small additional inferior olivary structures consist of the dorsal cap of Kooy and the ventrolateral outgrowth.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 781 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)