Seed provenance affects salt tolerance and germination response of the habitat-indifferent Salsola drummondii halophyte in the arid Arabian deserts

•Seeds from non-salty habitat germinated better at low and moderate salinities.•Seeds from salty habitat germinated significantly better at higher salinity.•The increase in salinity did not significantly affect germination rate index.•Germination recovery was greater for seeds from non-salty than from salty habitats.