This work offers an update on thedistribution of wild common bean in Costa Rica, its ecologyand molecular characterization. To date 22 populations havebeen discovered in four watersheds around the Central Valley,usually in man-made habitats (often sides of coffeeplantations), under varying conservation status (from protectedto threatened). Molecular characterization indicates that thewild common bean belong to the Mesoamerican gene pool.Different markers indicate an increased genetic diversity insome wild populations, and allow to hypothesize the presenceof gene flow and introgression from cultivated materials.