*3.3. Genetic Divergence*

The genetic divergence analysis was conducted for the rbcL, matK and ITS2 datasets using the TaxonDNA (Table 2). The highest intraspecific distance of 2.45% was observed in the ITS2 dataset among the individuals of *Salsola imbricata*, while the highest interspecific divergence of 2.58% was observed between the species of the genus *Suaeda*. Similarly, the *Suaeda* genus seemed to exhibit maximum interspecific distances for the rbcL dataset, wherein the matK *Tamarix* genus showed higher interspecific divergence, followed by *Suaeda*. In the case of the species from the genus *Suaeda*, the genetic divergence in the rbcL (1.55%) and matK (1.21%) was not enough for the ABGD (rbcL and matK datasets) and ASAP (matK datasets) to discriminate the *S. vermiculata* from the *S. aegyptiaca*. However, all methods employed successfully resolved species from the *Suaeda* genus using the ITS2 dataset at the genetic divergence of 2.58%.

**Table 2.** Intra- and interspecific genetic divergence.

