The diurnal changes of chlorophyll fluorescence and antioxidative enzyme activity were investigated in the leaves from four subtropical plant species (Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum Bak., Osmanthus insularis Koidz., Asplenium antiquum Makino and Chloranthus glaber Makino) under the natural habitats in summer and winter. The intensity of chlorophyll fluorescence was lower in O-, I-, J-, P-steps of O-J-I-P transient in winter than summer, and prominent diurnal change was not found in the fluorescence intensity of four subtropical plant species in winter. The activity and isoenzyme pattern of SOD and catalase did irregularly change seasonally and diurnally in four subtropical plant species. In contrast, the peroxidase activity and isoenzyme pattern was different depending on plant species and growth seasons; The activity increased slightly more in winter than in summer in four subtropical plant species, and several isoenzymes appeared in the leaves from C. asiaticum var. japonicum, O. insularis and A. antiquum in winter.