A size-fractionated TaqI genomic library of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) was screened for the presence of (GA) n and (CA) n simple sequence repeats (SSRs). A total of 54 clones with a positive signal were detected among 13,000 clones screened. Forty-seven clones having repeats of n[Symbol: see text] 3 were identified, of which 85% were perfect, 13% were imperfect and 2% were compound repeat sequences. Five of ten primer pairs synthesized to amplify selected loci resulted in a product in the expected size range and were subsequently used to examine SSR polymorphisms among 46 ecotypes of P. vaginatum. The number of alleles resolved on agarose or polyacrylamide gels were similar and ranged from 6 to 16 with an average of 14 per locus. Phenetic analysis of SSR polymorphisms revealed genetic relationships among the P. vaginatum ecotypes that were in general agreement with relationships determined previously by RAPD analysis of the same plant materials. Further screening of the genomic library did not identify (AT) n , trimeric or tetrameric repeats. Hybridization of an (ATT)8 oligonucleotide probe to genomic DNA isolated from I. batatas, E. coli, Citrullis lanatus and P. vaginatum suggested that the P. vaginatum genome contained significantly fewer ATT repeats than either the I. batatas or C. lanatus genome.