Santalaceae
	Genera : 35 Species: 400 Links to genus images: Comandra umbellata Thesium alpinum

Distribution: Cosmopolitan, but well developed in in subtropical and tropial arid climates such as teh Mediterranean regions and parts of Africa.

Economic Uses: Extremely important as the source of sandalwood and sandalwood oil, used in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps and incense. The woods and oils are also used in religious worship among Buddists, Hindus and Muslims. Some fruitsw are edible and cultivated for food. The family has a long association with humans.

Defining Features of Interest: Although it retains its green parts, the family is semiparasitic on the roots of other plants. There is enough diversity among the genera to sometimes divide the family into three tribes.

Fossil Evidence: No known fossil record.