An L-shaped collection of fibres and sensory neurons of the facial nerve located in the facial canal of the head. It receives fibres from the motor, sensory, and parasympathetic components of the facial nerve and sends fibres that will innervate the lacrimal glands, submandibular glands, sublingual glands, tongue, palate, pharynx, external auditory meatus, stapedius, posterior belly of the digastric muscle, stylohyoid muscle.