The apparent influx of (36)Cl(-) and (86)Rb(+)/K(+) into cells from the higher plant Petroselinum sativum has been measured during the presence and absence in the culture medium of indolacetic acid (IAA) which is an essential auxin of these cells. While 10(-5) M IAA did not significantly affect the influx of (86)Rb(+)/K(+), it substantially reduced that of (36)Cl(-), i.e. by a factor 0.25 within 30 min. This differential action of IAA, which holds for a reasonable range of external pH, is assumed to bear on current hypotheses that the primary events of auxin action involve plasmalemma functions.