Isolation of microsatellite loci from Rhamnus pirifolia

Abstract

Rhamnus pirifolia Greene (Rhamnaceae), the island redberry, is a small evergreen tree endemic to the California Channel Islands and Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from the taxon and were screened for variability in populations from three California Channel Islands. Moderate levels of variability were observed, with mean numbers of alleles per locus ranging from 1.3 to 4.7. The mean observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.01 to 0.53 and 0.01 to 0.56, respectively. These new loci will be useful in conservation genetic and evolutionary studies within Rhamnus.