Premise of the study: Ten microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the neotropical epiphytic orchid Epidendrum firmum to examine levels of genetic diversity and genetic structure at multiple spatial scales.
Methods and results: We screened loci in 12-25 individuals from each of two populations in Costa Rica and identified 10 polymorphic loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to 15 while observed heterozygosity for polymorphic loci ranged from 0.360 to 0.960.
Conclusions: Primers for these informative genetic markers will be useful for quantifying genetic diversity, spatial genetic structure, and gene flow in E. firmum.