California chaparral is often characterized as an evergreen shrub vegetation well adapted to recurrent wildfires. While it is true that evergreen shrubs dominate, and many exhibit characteristics best interpreted as evolutionary responses to wildfire, the chaparral community exhibits considerably more diversity than the above statement conveys (Keeley & Keeley, 1988). Not all shrub species show evidence of fire adaptation and in addition to shrubs, chaparral is comprised of semi-deciduous subshrubs, suffrutescents, lianas, geophytes and annuals. Seed germination patterns are also diverse in the chaparral flora. Here I will relate what is presently known of seed germination modes to other reproductive characteristics and discuss how these traits are correlated to produce different life history syndromes.