Its fibers extend from the upper to the under surface of the tongue.

Its contraction flattens, widens and elongates the tongue.

[citation needed] Fibres of the vertical muscle of the tongue are arranged in an almost vertical direction, and intersect the transversely oriented fibres of the transverse muscle of tongue.

[citation needed] The vertical of the tongue is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).

[2] This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1131 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918) This muscle article is a stub.