Aloe lineata var. muirii, the Little Karoo variety of A. lineata, has a brighter yellow-green to orange-green leaf colouring and its longitudinal leaf lines are more distinct and defined. The marginal toothing is slightly larger than on var. lineata of the Eastern Cape thicket and Riversdale.

The common name in Afrikaans, streepaalwyn (stripe aloe), is earned by the longitudinal lines that soon appear on the young leaves.

Flowering times are also different: var. lineata flowers from January to March and var. muirii from June to November (Reynolds, 1974; http://redlist.sanbi.org).