The economic and resource structure of the rare fraction of the natural flora of Kabardino-Balkaria is considered. The reasons for the rarity of decorative, food, fodder, medicinal, wood-cellulose and melliferous groups of plants are analyzed on the basis of our own data, literary and archival materials.

The article presents the results of the geographical analysis of the rare fraction of the natural flora of Kabardino-Balkaria. It is revealed that the rare fraction of flora belongs to 16 geo-elements (14 main elements and two connecting elements) belonging to the five groups of the highest hier-archical units of botanical and geographical zoning. The ranked spectrum of geo-elements indi-cates the absolute predominance of Caucasian elements.