Stems and petioles densely pilose, somewhat viscid. Flowers: sepals 13-20 mm, 0.7-1 times as long as spurs; petal blades 0-3 mm.

Flowering summer (Jun-Aug). Mesic woods or shrublands; 0-2000 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).

Aquilegia formosa var. hypolasia is endemic to the peninsular ranges of California and adjacent Baja California. It is very close to A . formosa var. truncata ; occasional plants of var. hypoplasia from the Peninsular Ranges may be almost glabrous, and occasional plants of var. truncata may be almost as pubescent as var. hypoplasia .