Treatments that enhanced the germination of dormant seed of dwarf spikerush [Eleocharis coloradoensis (Britt.) Gilly] the most were chilling seed at 2 C for 3 months and then scarifying with sodium hypochlorite, scarifying seed and then chilling wet seed at 7 C for 3 months, or chilling wet seed at 2 C for 24 months. Percentage of germination for these treatments were 58, 56, and 65%, respectively. Scarifying seed with sodium hypochlorite after they had been chilled wet for 12 to 24 months at 2 C reduced germination. Other treatments that significantly enhanced germination were chilling seed wet for 4 months at 2 C, scarifying dry-stored seed with a 5.25% solution of sodium hypochlorite for 10 h, and soaking seed in concentrated hydrochloric acid for 24 min. These latter treatments resulted in germination percentages of 35, 33, and 35, respectively. Eighty percent of the viable seed usually germinated within 10 days, and when germination was poor, seed lacked embryos or were empty. Dormancy appeared to be due to an impermeable seed coat and not to a germination inhibitor.