Germination characteristics of 10 xerophytic species, widespread in the Mediterranean were studied.A variety of seed treatments were explored to overcome the seed dormancy, including scarificationand stratification. Only in Convolvulus cantabrica dormancy was shown to be physical, since it couldbe removed by seed coat scarification. Several species showed light-dependent germination, possiblyrelated to the fact that in their micro-environment of incubation they are exposed to minimum seedburial. Emergence tests in peat-perlite substrate were carried out in order to verify the optimal burialconditions for seed propagation. This inhibition was found to be inversely related to the low unit weightof seed. Species with minute seeds, such as Erigeron karviskianus and Phagnalon rupestris, had the bestperformance of germination without burial, while the larger ones such as C.cantabrica and Centranthusruber, had the best performance at 6 and 4 mm of sowing, respectively.