SummaryEffects of temperature on the rate of germination, measured as the reciprocal of the time taken for half the population to germinate, were studied in cineraria cvs Cindy Blue and Cindy Dark Red. The base, optimum and maximum temperatures for germination were derived respectively as 1.6, 24.8 and 37.8°C in cv. Cindy Blue, close to Tb = 1.9, To = 24.5 and Tm = 38.4°C in cv. Cindy Dark Red. All seeds of each cultivar had a common base temperature but needed different thermal times to germinate. Seed of cv. Cindy Dark Red began to germinate after ca. 30°Cd compared with 35°Cd required by cv. Cindy Blue. A thermal time of ca. 50°Cd was required for half the population to germinate in each cultivar and the thermal requirement for germination fraction >0.5 was similar in both cultivars. The base and maximum temperatures for germination were similar to those determined previously for leaf initiation and flower development.