  Observed variations in the HII region luminosity function (HII LF) seen in
spiral arm vs. interarm regions, and different galactic Hubble type, can be
explained simply by evolutionary effects and maximum number of ionizing stars
per cluster. We present Monte Carlo simulations of the HII LF, drawing the
number of ionizing stars N_* from a power-law distribution of constant slope,
and the stellar masses from a Salpeter IMF with an upper-mass limit of 100
M_sol. We investigate the evolution of the HII LF, as determined by stellar
main-sequence lifetimes and ionizing luminosities, for a single burst case and
continuous creation of the nebular population. Shallower HII LF slopes measured
for the arms of spiral galaxies can be explained as a composite slope, expected
for a zero-age burst population, whereas the interarm regions tend to be
dominated by evolved rich clusters described by a single, steeper slope.
Steeper slopes in earlier-type galaxies can be explained simply by a lower
maximum N_* cutoff found for the parent OB associations. The form of the HII LF
can reveal features of the most recent (~< 10 Myr) star formation history in
nearby galaxies.
