Euphorbia virgata can be confused with the similar species Euphorbia saratoi and Euphorbia esula. Mainly the leaves are different: At Euphorbia virgata the rather long leaves have their widest point near the base, and have adumbrated small peduncles at the laterally truncated base. Euphorbia saratoi has also long, but lineal, rather steadily wide leaves, with the maximum width in the middle of the length. Euphorbia esula has shorter leaves with the widest point above the middle of the length. In history the name Euphorbia tommasiniana BERTOLONI has also been used for Euphorbia virgata, but in reality it belongs to another species, an endemism of the region of Trieste (Italy).