Effects of La 3+ and Eu 3+ on outward potassium channels (K + out ) in Vicia guard cells have been studied by patch clamping technique. Extracellular La 3+ inhibited K + out currents with a half-inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) of 81 μmol·L −1 . Interestingly, intracellular La 3+ activated K + out currents at a free concentration of 1.13 × 10 −14 mol·L −1 , and inhibited K + out currents at a free concentration of 5.86 × 10 −14 mol·L −1 . Extracellular Eu 3+ also activated K + out currents at concentrations of 10 μmol·L −1 and 50 μmol·L −1 , and inhibited K + out currents at concentrations of more than 1 mmol·L −1 . The effects of La 3+ and Eu 3+ on K + out currents may contribute to regulation of the plant water status, which may be one of the mechanisms of the biological effect of rare earth elements. rare earth elements, stomata, guard cell, outward potassium channel