I would put the base of the scape with the seed pod in a glass of water. They can to some extent continue to develop when not in water but since you don't know how old it is I'd try keeping it in water.
For the young seedlings they'll probably be fine. I would watch them to make sure they don't start looking pale. In most cases being in woody product mulch doesn't cause nitrogen deficiency but young seedlings in theory could be because there may be a small N depletion zone at the mulch/soil interface. Bigger plants can reach their roots down beyond that. Chances are it won't happen, just something to watch out for in case.
