Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed to study the origins and evolution of apomictic Hypericum perforatum, a polyploid invasive perennial herb indigenous to Europe that produces compounds of medicinal/pharmaceutical importance.
Methods and results: Eleven primer sets were developed using a non-radioactive protocol. All loci were polymorphic, showing from 2 to 9 alleles per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosity averaged 0.861 and 0.772, respectively, across four studied populations. Most primers also amplified successfully in eight other Hypericum species.
Conclusions: Markers developed in this study provide genetic tools for studies of apomixis and invasiveness, both on the intra- and interspecific levels.