Cuphea wrightii Gray, and C. laminuligera Koehne are potential domestic sources of medium-chain-length fatty acids. These species have many undesirable characters including post harvest dormancy in which seeds remain dormant for one year or more. Researchers have shown that common techniques to induce germination in these species are not effective. Seed lots from these species were produced in 1983 and 1986. Excised seed (seed coats removed) and nonexcised seed (seed coats intact) were germinated on unsupplemented agar medium and on paper germination towels. No germination was obtained from nonexcised 1986 C. wrightii seed. Germination of I% or less was obtained from nonexcised 1986 C. laminuligera seed. Excising seed coats from 1986 seed improved germination to over 81 % and improved 1983 seed germination from 40% to 92%. Germination of seed (averaged over treatments) on agar medium (54%) was significantly greater than on towels (44%). Seedling survival after 21 days in pots on a greenhouse mist bench was higher for excised seed (up to 68%) than for unexcised seed (up to 53%) for 1983 seed. Germinating excised seed on agar medium can be a useful technique to germinate dormant Cuphea seed.