Comparisons between the predicted and observed quantities of the stellar He II ﹩\lambda 4686﹩ line for ﹩Z=0.004﹩ (dot‐dashed line), ﹩Z=0.001﹩ (thin dotted line) based on Salpeter IMF, and ﹩Z=0.004﹩ (thick dashed line) based on a very flat IMF (﹩\alpha =1.0﹩). (a) Relative line intensities; (b) equivalent widths. Observed data are denoted by thick open symbols (squares: Mrk 35; triangles: Mrk 1039; circles F08208+2816). See text for the thin open symbols.