Otago University librarian Howard Amos and rare books librarian Dr Donald Kerr have welcomed the book, more than 370 years old, which Dr Kerr said would make a ''fantastic'' contribution.
This London-published first edition is dated 1640 and titled Theatrum Botanicum, The Theater of Plantes or An Universall and Compleate Herball, by John Parkinson.
A library spokesman said this ''really significant donation'', on plants and herbal medicine, would ''greatly strengthen and complement our botany holdings''.
Russ Finnerty, of Wellington, delivered the book of about 1700 pages to the library this week, after it was given by his wife, Rosalba Finnerty, nee Willis.
She is the great-granddaughter of a surgeon, George Wherry, of Addenbrook's Hospital, in England.
This book and an earlier anatomy text, a 1667 edition of Remmelini's Pinax microcosmographicus, were once part of Mr Wherry's personal collection.
The two books were inherited by New Zealand descendants, and were both given to Otago University, the anatomy text in 2009.
Mr Finnerty also attended this week a bioethics seminar by Otago senior lecturer in general practice and rural health Dr Katherine Hall, which referred extensively to her research into the Remmelini text.
Mr Finnerty and his wife were ''feeling very happy'' that the botany book would be properly protected at the library and more people could access it, he said.
