arbor vitae (anatomy) arbor vitae (anatomy) the arbor vitae /ˌɑːrbɔːr ˈvaɪtiː/ (latin for "tree of life") is the cerebellar white matter, so called for its branched, tree-like appearance. in some ways it more resembles a fern and is present in both cerebellar hemispheres. it brings sensory and motor information to and from the cerebellum. the arbor vitae is located deep in the cerebellum. situated within the arbor vitae are the deep cerebellar nuclei; the dentate, globose, emboliform and the fastigial nuclei. these four different structures lead to the efferent projections of the cerebellum. arbor vitaefigure shows cerebellum and surrounding regions; sagittal view of one hemisphere. a: midbrain. b: pons. c: medulla. d: spinal cord. e: fourth ventricle. f: arbor vitae. g: flocculus. h: tonsil. i: posterior lobe. j: anterior lobe. k: inferior colliculus. l: superior colliculus.animation of the left half of the human brain. arbor vitae is illustrated in white.detailsidentifierslatinarbor vitae cerebellineuronames692neurolex idnlx_anat_20090101ta98a14.1.07.401ta25789fma72541anatomical terms of neuroanatomy related godfrey blount's 1899 book arbor vitae was ‘a book on the nature and development of imaginative design for the use of teachers and craftsmen’. additional images midsagittal section of the brainstem. midsagittal section of the brainstem. arbor vitae labelled at the center. midsagittal section of the brainstem. coronal section of the cerebellum. arbor vitae and cerebellar peduncles.