(1) The department will identify new and potentially harmful noxious weeds based on characteristics which make the plant undesirable, troublesome, and/or difficult to control in cropland, rangeland, forestry, industrial, recreational or non-crop sites.

(2) The department shall verify the existence of a noxious weed in Montana using any one or a combination of methods set forth below:

(a) Verification of location of the infestation based on herbarium records.

(b) Scientific identification of the plant by a botanist or weed scientist and by the concurrence of another botanist or weed scientist, or

(c) Submission of a plant by any person which is scientifically identified by the scientists of the Montana state university or university of Montana herbarium.