Unlike most members of the speedwell family, purslane speedwell is primarily an upright growing plant. It first appears in late winter and as an annual it starts to disappear in hot weather. Purslane speedwell is a particular nuisance in new seedlings and thin turf of temperate regions. Leaves are toothed along the edges, opposite each other and attached directly to the stem. Its tiny white flowers have four petals and two stamens. Heart-shaped seed capsules form at the junction between the leaf and the stem. Purslane speedwell is probably the least harmless member of this particular family.