One model of a diseased strawberry has acquired a white glaze, McCloud said.
"It's ironic--the diseased strawberries are now actually diseased strawberries," she said.
Conservation efforts have been some time in coming. The Harvard University Herbarium Executive Committee commissioned a study in 1998 to determine how best to conserve the flowers.
Joshua P. Basseches, executive director of the HMNH, said technological limitations and the organizational structure of Harvard's museums have slowed the process.
"The problem is one that's been known about for some time. The solution has been longer in coming," Basseches said. "The sorts of things required to conserve a collection like that are not what these museums were built for."
He said that there has been an increased effort to preserve the flowers in recent years, including covering windows and fluorescent lights with a protective film.
Restoring the flowers will be a massive job.
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